User interface improvements for medical devices

• US 20060229557A1
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Paine, Corinna S., Silkaitis, Raymond P., Fathallah, Marwan A., Huang, John W., Barkan, Kevin, Barnes, Heather J., Magurno, Amy B., Delano, Kristine T., Roughton, Kevin O., Wald, Eric R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for operating a medical device with a screen having an improved graphical user interface, which selectively reallocates screen display for both single and multi-channel pumps. Channel indicators associate operation information with a specific delivery channel. Patient or drug order verification is facilitated with a rendering of the patient or the entire drug order/label on the screen. Decimal numbers are presented in vertically offset decimal format. A dual function button cancels the current operation and, after a delay, clears entered parameters. An area sensitive scrollbar cycles through information at various speeds. Screen brightness is adjusted based on an ambient light detector. A screen saver mode activates based on several operating conditions. The screen is incorporated in a removable user interface.

Claims

1. A medical device, comprising:

an output screen;

a processing unit in electronic communication with the screen; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory contains programming code executed by the processing unit for;

presenting a first display of given amount of operation data regarding the operation of the medical device on the screen; and

selectively replacing the first display with a second display at a trigger event, wherein the second display includes a data subset of the given amount of operation data.

2. A method of operating a medical device having an output screen, comprising the steps of:

presenting a first display of a given amount of operation data regarding the operation of the medical device on the screen; and

selectively replacing the first display with a second display at a trigger event, wherein the second display includes a data subset of the given amount of operation data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the trigger event is based on time elapsed from last user interaction with the medical device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of monitoring ambient light conditions at the medical device and wherein the trigger event is based on ambient light conditions at the medical device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the brightness of the screen is adjusted based on the ambient light conditions at the medical device.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the medical device as an infusion pump and wherein the second display data subset is selected from a group consisting of:

rate, dose, dosage, volume remaining to be infused, drug identification information, the status of the medical device, current time, assigned patient identification information, and a timer count down to a drug infusion, alarm information, elapsed time in alarm status, channel identification, clinical care area, limit status, and units.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a value of the first display operation data is presented in a given size, and a corresponding value of the second display data subset is presented in a size larger than the given size of the value of the first display operation data.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

supplying a list of selectable information;

displaying only a part of the list of selectable information on the screen, the list of selectable information having a displayed portion and a non-displayed portion;

providing a scroll element adjacent to the viewable portion, the scroll element being adapted to change the part of the list of selectable information that is the displayed portion by selectively scrolling through the list of selectable information when the scroll element is activated by a user; and

providing the scroll element with first and second weighted positions, wherein the first weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a fist given scroll rate when activated by a user, the second weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a second given scroll rate when activated by a user, and wherein the first and second given rates are not equal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the weighted positions are graphically displayed as separate items.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

providing the scroll element with a center position, wherein the center position is adapted to stop scrolling through the list of selectable information when the scroll element is activated by a user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

providing the scroll element with third and fourth weighted positions having unequal scroll rates, the third and fourth weighted positions being adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information in a direction opposite to the first and second weighted positions, wherein the center position is located between the third and first weighted positions, the fourth weighted position is located adjacent the third weighted position, and the second weighted position is located adjacent the first weighted position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the rate and direction of scrolling varies based on weighted position activated by the user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the screen is a touch screen, and the scroll element is displayed on the touch screen.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein activation of one of the scroll element weighted positions allows scrolling by a given multiple increment through the list of selectable information.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of providing a touch screen keypad display on one of the first and second displays, the touch screen keypad display being selected from a group consisting of an alphabetic keypad and a numeric keypad.

16. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a visual indication of alarm status and elapsed time in alarm status on one of the first and second displays.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a patient identifying image selected from a group consisting of a photograph and a barcode on one of the first and second displays to verify that correct medical device/patient association.

18. The method of claim 2, further comprising highlighting in a visible manner drug names designated as critical by medical personnel on one of the first and second displays.

19. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a first graphical object on the screen;

displaying a second graphical object on the screen at least partially covering the first graphical object; and

providing a dual function clear and cancel button on the screen, the dual function clear and cancel button operating to remove the second graphical object with a first activation by a user, operating to clear user entered content from the first graphical object with a second activation by a user, and wherein there the dual function clear and cancel button is inactive for a given period of time after the first activation to prevent an inadvertent second activation by a user.

20. A method of operating a medical device having an output screen, comprising the steps of:

supplying a list of selectable information;

displaying only a part of the list of selectable information on the screen, the list of selectable information having a displayed portion and a non-displayed portion;

providing a scroll element adjacent to the viewable portion, the scroll element being adapted to change the part of the list of selectable information that is the displayed portion by selectively scrolling through the list of selectable information when the scroll element is activated by a user; and

providing the scroll element with first and second weighted positions, wherein the first weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a fist given scroll rate when activated by a user, the second weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a second given scroll rate when activated by a user, and wherein the first and second given rates are not equal.

21. A medical device, comprising:

an output screen;

a processing unit in electronic communication with the screen; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory contains programming code executed by the processing unit for;

supplying a list of selectable information;

displaying only a part of the list of selectable information on the screen, the list of selectable information having a displayed portion and a non-displayed portion;

providing a scroll element adjacent to the viewable portion, the scroll element being adapted to change the part of the list of selectable information that is the displayed portion by selectively scrolling through the list of selectable information when the scroll element is activated by a user; and

providing the scroll element with first and second weighted positions, wherein the first weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a fist given scroll rate when activated by a user, the second weighted position is adapted to scroll through the list of selectable information at a second given scroll rate when activated by a user, and wherein the first and second given rates are not equal.

23. A medical pump according to claim 21, wherein the display includes a third area for displaying information regarding a third therapeutic agent contained in the container while the information regarding the first therapeutic agent and the second therapeutic agent is displayed concurrently in the first area and second area respectively.

22. A medical pump for delivering a plurality of therapeutic agents contained in a container, the pump comprising:

a pump channel adapted to deliver therapeutic agents from the container to a patient;

a user interface attached to the pump channel and including a display having a first area for displaying information regarding a first therapeutic agent contained in the container and a second area for concurrently displaying information regarding a second therapeutic agent contained in the container.

24. A method of displaying a medication order defined by a plurality of therapeutic agents of predetermined amounts contained in a single container, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a display screen attached to a pump channel; and

simultaneously displaying on the display screen information regarding at least two of the plurality of therapeutic agents contained in the container.

25. A method of displaying a medication order according to claim 24, wherein the information displayed is selected from a group consisting of therapeutic agent name and therapeutic agent amount.

26. A method of displaying a medication order according to claim 24, wherein the information displayed includes therapeutic agent amount in conjunction with units of measure selected from a group consisting of drug units, mL, mg, and mEq.

27. A method of displaying a medication order according to claim 24, wherein the information is displayed on a single common display screen.

32. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 27, further comprising the step of comparing the displayed electronic image with the portion of the label on the container.

37. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 32, further comprising populating a data input screen on the pump with information from the electronic image of the label after the comparing step.

28. A method of verifying a medication order to be delivered by a medical pump from a container equipped with a label, comprising the steps of:

providing a display screen on the medical pump;

supplying an electronic image of a portion of the label to the medical pump; and

displaying the electronic image on the display screen of the medical pump.

29. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 28, wherein the portion of the label includes a bar code.

30. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 29, wherein the step of supplying the electronic image comprises the steps of scanning the bar code with a bar code reader and transmitting the bar code to the medical pump.

31. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 28, wherein the portion of the label includes the entire label and the step of supplying the electronic image comprises making a digital photograph of the entire label.

33. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 28, further comprising the step of comparing the displayed electronic image with a reputed electronic image of a portion of the label from a second source.

34. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 33, wherein the second source is an information system selected from a group consisting of a hospital information system and a pharmacy information system.

35. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 33, wherein the step of comparing the electronic image with the reputed electronic image from the second source comprises transmitting the reputed electronic image to the medical pump and displaying both the electronic image and the reputed electronic image on the screen simultaneously.

36. A method of verifying a medication order according to claim 28, wherein the step of providing the display screen includes attaching the display screen to a pump channel of the medical pump.

38. A system for verifying a medication order to be dispensed from a container having a label, the system comprising:

a medical pump including a processor, a pump channel and a display screen attached to the pump channel and connected to the processor;

a label image generator for transmitting an electronic image of a portion of the label to the processor of the medical pump; and

the display screen being adapted to display the portion of the label at least at full size.